scholarly journals Expression Analysis of PIN Genes in Root Tips and Nodules of Lotus japonicus

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izabela Sańko-Sawczenko ◽  
Dominika Dmitruk ◽  
Barbara Łotocka ◽  
Elżbieta Różańska ◽  
Weronika Czarnocka

Auxins are postulated to be one of the pivotal factors in nodulation. However, their transporters in Lotus japonicus, the model species for the study of the development of determinate-type root nodules, have been scarcely described so far, and thus their role in nodulation has remained unknown. Our research is the first focusing on polar auxin transporters in L. japonicus. We analyzed and compared expression of PINs in 20 days post rhizobial inoculation (dpi) and 54 dpi root nodules of L. japonicus by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) along with the histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene assay in transgenic hairy roots. The results indicate that LjPINs are essential during root nodule development since they are predominantly expressed in the primordia and young, developing nodules. However, along with differentiation, expression levels of several PINs decreased and occurred particularly in the nodule vascular bundles, especially in connection with the root’s stele. Moreover, our study demonstrated the importance of both polar auxin transport and auxin intracellular homeostasis during L. japonicus root nodule development and differentiation.

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (6468) ◽  
pp. 1021-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Soyano ◽  
Yoshikazu Shimoda ◽  
Masayoshi Kawaguchi ◽  
Makoto Hayashi

Legumes develop root nodules in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing rhizobial bacteria. Rhizobia evoke cell division of differentiated cortical cells into root nodule primordia for accommodating bacterial symbionts. In this study, we show that NODULE INCEPTION (NIN), a transcription factor in Lotus japonicus that is essential for initiating cortical cell divisions during nodulation, regulates the gene ASYMMETRIC LEAVES 2-LIKE18/LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN16a (ASL18/LBD16a). Orthologs of ASL18/LBD16a in nonlegume plants are required for lateral root development. Coexpression of ASL18a and the CCAAT box–binding protein Nuclear Factor-Y (NF-Y) subunits, which are also directly targeted by NIN, partially suppressed the nodulation-defective phenotype of L. japonicusdaphne mutants, in which cortical expression of NIN was attenuated. Our results demonstrate that ASL18a and NF-Y together regulate nodule organogenesis. Thus, a lateral root developmental pathway is incorporated downstream of NIN to drive nodule symbiosis.


1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirofumi Yoshioka ◽  
Robert G. Gregerson ◽  
Deborah A. Samac ◽  
Kim C. M. Hoevens ◽  
Gian Trepp ◽  
...  

Aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) plays a critical role in the assimilation of symbiotically fixed nitrogen into aspartate and asparagine in legume root nodules. The enzyme occurs as a cytosolic form (AAT1) and a plastid form (AAT2) in alfalfa nodules. To elucidate the functional role of each isozyme in root nodule metabolism further, in situ hybridization was used to determine the pattern of transcript accumulation from the two genes. AAT2 transcripts were localized to infected cells throughout the symbiotic zone of effective alfalfa nodules; however, expression was reduced in ineffective nodules. The AAT1 gene was expressed in the uninfected cells of the invasion zone and symbiotic zone, the nodule parenchyma, and nodule vascular bundles of both effective and ineffective nodules. The AAT1 and AAT2 promoters were evaluated in transgenic alfalfa plants containing promoter β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene fusions. Histochemical staining patterns agreed with results from in situ localization. The distribution pattern of gene transcripts suggests that AAT1 has a role in maintenance of the O2 diffusion barrier in nodules and that AAT2 plays a major role in assimilation of recently fixed nitrogen. Promoter deletion analysis of the AAT2 promoter revealed that nodule-specific expression was retained in a promoter fragment of 300 bp.


2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 800-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Ott ◽  
John Sullivan ◽  
Euan K. James ◽  
Emmanouil Flemetakis ◽  
Catrin Günther ◽  
...  

During development of legume root nodules, rhizobia and their host plant cells undergo profound differentiation, which is underpinned by massive changes in gene expression in both symbiotic partners. Oxygen concentrations in infected and surrounding uninfected cells drop precipitously during nodule development. To assess what effects this has on plant and bacterial cell differentiation and gene expression, we used a leghemoglobin-RNA-interference (LbRNAi) line of Lotus japonicus, which is devoid of leghemoglobins and has elevated levels of free-oxygen in its nodules. Bacteroids in LbRNAi nodules showed altered ultrastructure indicating changes in bacterial differentiation. Transcript analysis of 189 plant and 192 bacterial genes uncovered many genes in both the plant and bacteria that were differentially regulated during nodulation of LbRNAi plants compared with the wild type (containing Lb and able to fix nitrogen). These included fix and nif genes of the bacteria, which are involved in microaerobic respiration and nitrogen fixation, respectively, and plant genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism. Metabolite analysis revealed decreased levels of many amino acids in nodules of LbRNAi plants, consistent with the defect in symbiotic nitrogen fixation of this line.


1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 882-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Schoenbeck ◽  
Deborah A. Samac ◽  
Maria Fedorova ◽  
Robert G. Gregerson ◽  
J. Stephen Gantt ◽  
...  

Development of root nodules, specifically induction of cortical cell division for nodule initiation, requires expression of specific genes in the host and microsymbiont. A full-length cDNA clone and the corresponding genomic clone encoding a MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinase homolog were isolated from alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The genomic clone, TDY1, encodes a 68.9-kDa protein with 47.7% identity to MMK4, a previously characterized MAP kinase homolog from alfalfa. TDY1 is unique among the known plant MAP kinases, primarily due to a 230 amino acid C-terminal domain. The putative activation motif, Thr-Asp-Tyr (TDY), also differs from the previously reported Thr-Glu-Tyr (TEY) motif in plant MAP kinases. TDY1 messages were found predominantly in root nodules, roots, and root tips. Transgenic alfalfa and Medicago truncatula containing a chimeric gene consisting of 1.8 kbp of 5′ flanking sequence of the TDY1 gene fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) coding sequence exhibited GUS expression primarily in the nodule parenchyma, meristem, and vascular bundles, root tips, and root vascular bundles. Stem internodes stained intensely in cortical parenchyma, cambial cells, and primary xylem. GUS activity was observed in leaf mesophyll surrounding areas of mechanical wounding and pathogen invasion. The promoter was also active in root tips and apical meristems of transgenic tobacco. Expression patterns suggest a possible role for TDY1 in initiation and development of nodules and roots, and in localized responses to wounding.


2002 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanouil Flemetakis ◽  
Adamantia Agalou ◽  
Nektarios Kavroulakis ◽  
Maria Dimou ◽  
Anna Martsikovskaya ◽  
...  

We have isolated and characterized a Lotus japonicus gene (Ljsbp) encoding a putative polypeptide with striking homology to the mammalian 56-kDa selenium-binding protein (SBP). cDNA clones homologous to LjSBP were also isolated from soybean, Medicago sativa, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Comparative expression studies in L. japonicus and A. thaliana showed that sbp transcripts are present in various tissues and at different levels. Especially in L. japonicus nodules and seedpods and A. thaliana siliques, sbp expression appears to be developmentally up-regulated. sbp Gene transcripts were localized by in situ hybridization in the infected cells and vascular bundles of young nodules, while in mature nodules, low levels of expression were only detected in the parenchymatous cells. Expression of sbp transcripts in young seedpods and siliques was clearly visible in vascular tissues and embryos, while in embryos, low levels of expression were detected in the root epidermis and the vascular bundles. Polyclonal antibodies raised against a truncated LjSBP recombinant protein recognized a poly-peptide of about 60 kDa in nodule extracts. Immunohistochemical experiments showed that accumulation of LjSBP occurred in root hairs, in the root epidermis above the nodule primordium, in the phloem of the vasculature, and abundantly in the infected cells of young nodules. Irrespective of the presence of rhizobia, expression of SBP was also observed in root tips, where it was confined in the root epidermis and protophloem cells. We hypothesize that LjSBP may have more than one physiological role and can be implicated in controlling the oxidation/reduction status of target proteins, in vesicular Golgi transport, or both.


2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leïla Tirichine ◽  
Euan K. James ◽  
Niels Sandal ◽  
Jens Stougaard

Root-nodule development in legumes is an inducible developmental process initially triggered by perception of lipochitin-oligosaccharide signals secreted by the bacterial microsymbiont. In nature, rhizobial colonization and invasion of the legume root is therefore a prerequisite for formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules. Here, we report isolation and characterization of chemically induced spontaneously nodulating mutants in a model legume amenable to molecular genetics. Six mutant lines of Lotus japonicus were identified in a screen for spontaneous nodule development under axenic conditions, i.e., in the absence of rhizobia. Spontaneous nodules do not contain rhizobia, bacteroids, or infection threads. Phenotypically, they resemble ineffective white nodules formed by some bacterial mutants on wild-type plants or certain plant mutants inoculated with wild-type Mesorhizobium loti. Spontaneous nodules formed on mutant lines show the ontogeny and characteristic histological features described for rhizobia-induced nodules on wild-type plants. Physiological responses to nitrate and ethylene are also maintained, as elevated levels inhibit spontaneous nodulation. Activation of the nodule developmental program in spontaneous nodules was shown for the early nodulin genes Enod2 and Nin, which are both upregulated in spontaneous nodules as well as in rhizobial nodules. Both monogenic recessive and dominant spontaneous nodule formation (snf) mutations were isolated in this mutant screen, and map positions were determined for three loci. We suggest that future molecular characterization of these mutants will identify key plant determinants involved in regulating nodulation and provide new insight into plant organ development.


1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 526-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gian B. Trepp ◽  
Stephen J. Temple ◽  
Bruna Bucciarelli ◽  
Li Fang Shi ◽  
Carroll P. Vance

During root nodule development several key genes involved in nitrogen fixation and assimilation exhibit enhanced levels of expression. However, little is known about the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of these transcripts. In a systematic study the transcripts for 13 of the essential enzymes involved in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) root nodule nitrogen and carbon metabolism were localized by in situ hybridization. A serial section approach allowed the construction of a map that reflects the relative distribution of these transcripts. In 33-day-old root nodules, the expression of nifH, NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT; EC 1.4.1.14) and a cytosolic isoform of glutamine synthetase (GS13; GS; EC 6.3.1.2) were localized predominantly in a 5- to 15-cell-wide region in the distal part of the nitrogen-fixing zone. This zone was also the region of high expression for leghemoglobin, a second cytosolic glutamine synthetase isoform (GS100), aspartate aminotransferase-2 (AAT-2; EC 2.6.1.1), asparagine synthetase (AS; 6.3.5.4), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC 4.1.1.31), and sucrose synthase (SuSy; EC 2.4.1.13). This suggests that, in 33-day-old alfalfa root nodules, nitrogen fixation is restricted to this 5- to 15-cell-wide area. The continued significant expression of the GS100 subclass of GS and AS in the proximal part of the nitrogen-fixing zone implicates these gene products in nitrogen remobilization. A low constitutive expression of NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) was observed throughout the nodule. The transcript distribution map will be used as a navigational tool to assist in developing strategies for the genetic engineering of alfalfa root nodules for enhanced nitrogen assimilation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Mathesius

Root nodules are formed as a result of an orchestrated exchange of chemical signals between symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria and certain plants. In plants that form nodules in symbiosis with actinorhizal bacteria, nodules are derived from lateral roots. In most legumes, nodules are formed de novo from pericycle and cortical cells that are re-stimulated for division and differentiation by rhizobia. The ability of plants to nodulate has only evolved recently and it has, therefore, been suggested that nodule development is likely to have co-opted existing mechanisms for development and differentiation from lateral root formation. Auxin is an important regulator of cell division and differentiation, and changes in auxin accumulation and transport are essential for lateral root development. There is growing evidence that rhizobia alter the root auxin balance as a prerequisite for nodule formation, and that nodule numbers are regulated by shoot-to-root auxin transport. Whereas auxin requirements appear to be similar for lateral root and nodule primordium activation and organ differentiation, the major difference between the two developmental programs lies in the specification of founder cells. It is suggested that differing ratios of auxin and cytokinin are likely to specify the precursors of the different root organs.


2003 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
pp. 1009-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Y. Borisov ◽  
Lene H. Madsen ◽  
Viktor E. Tsyganov ◽  
Yosuke Umehara ◽  
Vera A. Voroshilova ◽  
...  

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